Pressing pause. Meghan Markle will reportedly hold off on releasing new episodes of her “Archetypes” podcast in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II‘s death.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, debuted her Spotify podcast last month. According to multiple outlets, there will be no new episode on Tuesday, September 13, in light of the British royal family’s loss. It’s unclear when the show will return.
Meghan dropped the first episode of “Archetypes” — which featured a candid conversation with her pal Serena Williams — on August 23. The Bench author and husband Prince Harry struck a multiyear deal with Spotify and their Archewell Audio production company in 2020 after announcing their exit from their senior royal duties.
Meghan Markle. Chris Jackson WPA Pool/Shutterstock
Through her show, Meghan seeks to “uncover the origin of these stereotypes and have uncensored conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape narratives,” per a press release. Mariah Carey and Mindy Kaling have also appeared as guests on the podcast, with Constance Wu, Issa Rae, Lisa Ling, Margaret Cho, Ziwe and more slated to join on future episodes.
As “Archetypes” takes a brief hiatus, Meghan and Harry, 37, are continuing to mourn the late monarch, who died on Thursday, September 8, at age 96. The couple were already overseas in the U.K. for other charity engagements at the time, with Harry rushing to Balmoral in Scotland to say goodbye to his grandmother. King Charles III, Prince William and more royal family members also traveled to the Scottish estate.
After arriving back in London, William, 40, invited his younger brother and the Suits alum to join him and Princess Kate in welcoming well-wishers at the queen’s Windsor estate. The Fab Four greeted crowds of mourners together in a rare joint appearance on Saturday, September 10, accepting flowers and viewing tributes to the queen at the property’s gates.
Queen Elizabeth II. Shutterstock
“The mood is somber all around,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly of how the Prince of Wales and Harry were interacting as they grieve.
A second source added, “The royals knew Elizabeth’s end was near, but mentally, she was as sharp as ever right until it was her time to go. All of the royals are struggling to come to terms with the devastating news.”
The Duke of Sussex felt “guilt-stricken” about landing in Scotland after the palace had already announced Elizabeth’s death, the insider told Us. “He loved his grandmother with all his heart and is going through a terrible time right now. The news hasn’t fully sunk in.”
Though Harry and his wife have been through ups and downs with the royal family since their 2020 step down, they always held the queen in high regard. During the pair’s March 2021 CBS tell-all, Meghan reflected on some of her earliest moments with the monarch, gushing that Elizabeth had “always been wonderful” toward her.
“We had one of our first joint engagements together. She asked me to join her, and I went on the train,” she recalled. “And we had breakfast together that morning and she gave me a beautiful gift and I just really loved being in her company.”
